The research focuses on Malang Regency, East Java, an area representative of small-scale farming systems across Indonesia. It provides timely insights for policymakers and agricultural extension agencies seeking to promote sustainable agriculture without undermining farmers’ livelihoods.
Sustainable Farming Meets Economic Reality
Across Indonesia and other developing economies, sustainable land management is widely promoted as a solution to soil degradation, declining productivity, and climate-related risks. However, adoption among smallholder farmers remains uneven. Many farmers recognize the environmental benefits but hesitate to change long-established practices.
This study places farmers’ decisions in an economic behavior framework. Rather than viewing adoption as a matter of awareness alone, it shows that farmers act as rational decision-makers who carefully weigh short-term income needs against uncertain long-term benefits. In regions like East Java, where farming households depend heavily on seasonal harvests, even small financial risks can have serious consequences.
How the Research Was Conducted
The research used a mixed-methods approach to capture both statistical patterns and real-life decision-making. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys of 60 smallholder farmers in Malang Regency, including both adopters and non-adopters of sustainable land management practices. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to identify which economic factors most influenced adoption decisions.
To deepen the analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with five key informants: adopter farmers, non-adopter farmers, an agricultural extension worker, and a farmer group leader. This combination allowed the study to connect numerical results with farmers’ lived experiences, concerns, and reasoning.
What Drives Adoption—and What Holds It Back
The results clearly show that adoption decisions are shaped by a balance of enabling and constraining factors.
Key drivers of adoption include:
· Higher farming income, which increases farmers’ ability to absorb short-term risks.
· Access to agricultural information, such as extension services and training, which reduces uncertainty and builds confidence.
Key barriers include:
· High adoption costs, especially upfront labor and input expenses.
· Strong risk perception, particularly fear of yield loss or income instability during the transition period.
The statistical analysis found that farmers with higher incomes were more than twice as likely to adopt sustainable practices compared to lower-income farmers. Similarly, farmers with good access to agricultural information were also about twice as likely to adopt. In contrast, higher adoption costs and stronger perceptions of risk significantly reduced the likelihood of adoption.
Farmers Think in Trade-Offs
Interview findings reinforce the quantitative results. Many farmers described sustainable practices as desirable but financially demanding. Farmers who had already adopted emphasized that stable income gave them confidence to experiment and manage potential losses. One adopter explained that economic stability made it possible to “calculate future benefits and accept short-term sacrifices.”
Non-adopters expressed a different perspective. Several said they were interested in sustainable methods but could not afford the risks. For them, maintaining current practices felt safer than investing in changes that might not deliver immediate returns. Extension workers confirmed this pattern, noting that farmers with more secure incomes tend to be more open to innovation.
As Markus Patiung of Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya explains, farmers “do not reject sustainability, but they prioritize household survival. Adoption happens when environmental practices align with economic security.”
Implications for Policy and Practice
The findings carry important lessons for agricultural policy in Indonesia and similar contexts. Programs that promote sustainable land management without addressing farmers’ economic constraints are unlikely to succeed. Instead, the study points to several practical strategies:
· Targeted incentives to reduce initial adoption costs, such as input subsidies or cost-sharing schemes.
· Stronger extension services that provide clear, practical information about costs, benefits, and long-term impacts.
· Risk-reduction mechanisms, including crop insurance or guaranteed minimum prices, to protect farmers during transition periods.
By aligning sustainability goals with farmers’ economic realities, policymakers can improve adoption rates while protecting livelihoods.
Why This Study Matters
This research contributes to environmental agricultural economics by showing that sustainability transitions depend on economic rationality at the household level. It challenges the assumption that low adoption reflects resistance to change. Instead, it highlights the structural constraints faced by smallholders and the need for supportive policy design.
The study also demonstrates the value of combining quantitative analysis with qualitative insights. Understanding both the numbers and the narratives behind farmers’ decisions provides a more realistic foundation for sustainable agriculture programs.
Author Profile Markus Patiung, M.Agr. Lecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Wijaya Kusuma Surabaya, Indonesia Field of expertise: Environmental agricultural economics, smallholder farmer behavior, sustainable land management, agricultural policy analysis.
Source
Article Title: Economic Behavior of Smallholder Farmers in Adopting Sustainable Land Management Practices
Journal: Formosa Journal of Science and Technology (FJST) Publication
Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v5i1.381
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